Current medical research and opinion
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Multicenter Study Observational Study
Study description and baseline characteristics of the population enrolled in a multinational, observational study of teriparatide in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis: the Asia and Latin America Fracture Observational Study (ALAFOS).
To describe the study design and baseline patient characteristics of the Asia and Latin America Fracture Observational Study (ALAFOS) to better understand the profile of patients receiving teriparatide during the course of routine clinical practice in Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and Russia. ⋯ Our data indicates that patients who were prescribed teriparatide in the ALAFOS participant countries had severe osteoporosis, high prevalence of fractures, disabling back pain and poor QoL. The frequency of patients receiving prior osteoporosis medications was lower than in previous observational studies conducted in other locations.
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Iron deficiency and particularly iron deficiency anemia (IDA) can lead to negative health consequences. This review describes the importance of adherence and persistence (adhering to treatment for the recommended duration) with iron replacement therapy in the prevention of complications, particularly regarding its recommended dosing schedule. ⋯ Proper adherence and persistence with iron supplementation may prevent or reduce the risk of complications of iron deficiency and IDA.
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Comparative Study
Effectiveness and safety of micronized purified flavonoid fraction for the treatment of concomitant varicose veins of the pelvis and lower extremities.
Concomitant varicose veins of the pelvis (VVP) and lower extremities (VVLE) frequently coexist. This study evaluated the effectiveness and safety of micronized purified flavonoid fraction (MPFF) in the treatment of patients with both conditions. ⋯ Phlebotropic treatment with MPFF is an effective and safe method of conservative therapy in patients with concomitant VVP and VVLE.
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Everolimus is the only FDA approved drug to treat renal angiomyolipoma or subependymal giant-cell astrocytoma (SEGA) in tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC). Potential differences exist between patients with commercial and Medicaid insurance on everolimus use; however, there is limited information from the real world. This study compared compliance and persistence of everolimus between commercial and Medicaid patients using US claims data. ⋯ Among TSC patients with renal angiomyolipoma or SEGA and treated with everolimus, everolimus MPR was between 0.74 and 0.81. Medicaid patients had lower MPR than commercial patients but better persistence.
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Guidelines recommend primary prophylactic use of colony-stimulating factor (PP-CSF) when risk of febrile neutropenia (FN) - based on chemotherapy and patient risk factors - is high. Whether and how PP-CSF use may have changed over time (e.g. due to guideline revisions, increasing use of myelosuppressive regimens, controversy regarding inappropriate CSF use), and whether there has been a concomitant change in the incidence of FN, is unknown. ⋯ Although the use of PP-CSF is commonplace in current US clinical practice, underutilization in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy regimens with an intermediate/high risk for FN may still be an issue. Use of same-day PP-CSF increased markedly from the end of 2015, although this finding reflects (at least in part) increased uptake of pegfilgrastim delivered via an on-body injector as well as the recent change in clinical practice guidelines. Overall, patients receiving PP-CSF appear to have a lower risk of FN during the first cycle of chemotherapy.